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Apart from the timing question (my vote leans towards delaying and getting things right the first time - it's the old "one time to make a first impression" thing), I'm curious about mashing MLM and affiliates programs together.

Veema is the only true MLM around that I know has tried this and their forum is DOA.

Yes, I'm fishing for opinions. I work with a MLM looking to move into the affiliate space.

MLM is a world away from affiliate marketing and they don't mix well. The idea behind MLM is not to sell the product but to get others to think they can. It cannot sustain the weight.

Excellent summary.
Keep in mind that there are no fees to get involved with affiliate marketing [other than the type of computer & software you use/own, the type of hosting, your domain[s] ]; MLM often requires up front fees.
MLM often resembles a pyramid type of scheme because you have to recruit others into the deal. The few up top will make the lion's share of the money.

MLM and Affiliate Marketing couldn't be more different, and I have a really difficult time seeing how you could mesh them together short of putting out a completely different site/brand name for affiliates to sell your product.

I just know as an affiliate I'd never send any of my traffic to a typical MLM website - regardless of how much you tried to pay me.

MLM is all about recruiting people and motivation. MLM is a very "people oriented" business.

Affiliate marketing, by contrast, is all about creating value for the visitor to your website. The value will, hopefully, lead to either a person buying something via an affiliate link or clicking on a Google Adsense link or taking some other action that the affiliate deems desirable (such as signing up for a newsletter, subscribing to a feed, etc...).

Additionally, affiliate marketing involves no contact with real people whatsoever. The "people" are the website visitors, and a web site visitor is a very different creature than someone you meet in their home while trying to sell the MLM plan and business opportunity.